PRE-PURCHASE
MARINE SURVEY & VALUATION
The purchase of a yacht
or motor boat is can be the largest expense you will have outside buying a home.
The pre-purchase survey is the most comprehensive type of survey available and
is strongly advised when buying a used vessel. A pre-purchase survey will often
be required by insurance companies and/or finance companies. Remember caveat emptor! If you buy a boat without
a survey and subsequently defects come to light, you may not have legal rights
to reclaim. There is, of course, a small initial outlay in terms of obtaining a
survey report. However, both the delay and expense are likely to be justified
by savings in the long run.
Sealutions surveys are
governed by the code of practice of the International Institute of Marine
Surveyors (IIMS). The IIMS code of practice sets out the areas that should be
covered in a pre-purchase survey as follows:
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Bilge Pumps
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Keel
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Cathodic Protection
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Machinery
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Decks, deck equipment
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Mast, rigging & sails
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Equipment levels
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Plumbing
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Electrical Installations
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Rudders & Hangings
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Davits, boarding ladders &
accesses
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Steering gear
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Fastenings
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Stern Gear
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Fire Equipment
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Superstructure
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Fresh Water installations
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Safety equipment
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Fuel tanks & pipework
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Stern glands
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Gas systems
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Shafts and couplings
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Guard & Handrails
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Skin fittings/sea cocks
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Ground Tackle
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Toilet installations
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Hatches & openings
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Ventilation systems
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Hull bottom coating
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Windows & Portlights |
These are the minimum
areas covered in a pre-purchase survey. Sealutions Ltd goes beyond this and
then delivers a user friendly report and are then happy to discuss findings
with the purchaser.
Our reports are designed
to provide a fair and honest opinion of the vessel and ensure that the
purchaser buys with their eyes wide open.
Insurance
Condition Surveys
From
time to time insurance companies will require owners to submit a survey of
their vessel so that they can understand the risk that they are insuring.
Sealutions Ltd is qualified to carry out this type of insurance survey.
Remember
to plan ahead for insurance surveys as there is nothing worse than launching
your vessel for the season, only to find out that your insurance company
requires an insurance survey prior to renewal. Planning ahead will avoid any additional
costs.
Valuations
Sealutions
Ltd is qualified to carry out inspections and valuations. Valuations are often
requested by the Client to obtain insurance and/or finance or required by
solicitors or financial institutions or required with regard to probate or
other matters. Valuations require an inspection of the vessel, although it is
not normally necessary for the vessel to be hauled ashore.
Hull condition surveys
Some
clients, when buying a vessel or for their own piece of mind, only require a
survey that covers the hull. Sealutions Ltd can carry out this type of survey. It
is important to establish, prior to instruction, the exact extent of what will
or will not be covered in the survey. A buyer should also check with their insurance company, and if relevant their finance company, that this type of survey will meet their needs.
osmosis
Surveys
Osmosis
– or “boat pox” in Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) is probably the most worrying
thing for all owners of GRP vessels. Sealutions Ltd can carry out moisture
surveys of GRP vessels to determine if a vessel has osmosis. If osmosis is
found to be present then advice can be given on the best course of action.
Please
note that inspection for osmosis is included in pre-purchase, insurance and hull
condition surveys.
Oil or deisel
analysis
Oil condition
monitoring is all about gaining an insight into what is happening inside an
engine or gearbox. Oil condition monitoring is not a new science; it has been
in practice for over 30 years. Many boat owners use oil analysis to understand
the internal condition of their engine without the costly expense of
dismantling.
Through oil
analysis it is possible to determine if anything untoward is going on, for
example it is possible to identify common problems, such as engine wear or wear
to cylinder heads and rings. The analysis will also determine if water or fuel
is getting into the engine or if ‘sooting’ is occuring due to poor combustion.
It will also determine if seals are starting to fail or if the engine is
running too hot.
Diesel analysis
will determine if the diesel in your tanks is suffering from diesel bug or
other contaminants.
We utilise the
services of a fully independent laboratory who provide a full report in a few
days.
damage repair
surveys
If
your vessel is unlucky enough to suffer damage, then a damage repair survey
will ascertain the full extent of the damage, which can often transmit to parts
of the vessel other than that which is immediately obvious. A report will then
be issued by Sealutions Ltd which will itemise the extent of the damage and
remedial action.

Expert Witness
With
a number of years experience in the marine environment our principal surveyor
Colin Vinall DipMarSur (YS), AssocIIMS, RMS can act as an independent expert
witness in Marine Surveying matters.
sea trials
When
purchasing a vessel it is sensible to take the vessel out on a sea trial.
Sealutions Ltd will undertake a sea trial with a purchaser, the owner or broker
as necessary. The sea trial will enable items that cannot be checked whilst the
vessel is ashore such as engine (s), navigational equipment etc.
Tonnage
Surveys
In
order to fully register a vessel with a shipping registry it is necessary to have
a Tonnage Survey carried out. Sealutions Ltd will visit the vessel to take the
appropriate measurements and then complete the necessary documentation.
Tonnage
Surveys can be carried out for the following registries:
·
British Registry of Shipping Cardiff (Part 1
registration; tonnage measurement is not required for Part 3 or Small Ships
Registry)
·
Isle of Mann Registry
·
British Virgin
Islands Registry
·
The Cayman Islands
Registry
·
The Gibraltar
Registry
·
The Eire Registry (special circumstances
apply)
·
The Guernsey
Registry
·
The Jersey
Registry
·
The Turks and Caicos Registry
Project
Management
Owners
will sometimes have large repairs or other work carried out on their vessels
and do not have the time or knowledge to oversee them. Sealutions Ltd will use
Project Management skills and their marine knowledge to ensure that the project
meets its aims and is managed within timescales and budget.
Marine
Consultation
Sealutions
Ltd has extensive knowledge of the marine industry and is happy to work with
clients on any marine related project.
Examples
of recent work include assisting a client in selecting an appropriate yacht for
a circumnavigation. Working with a television company in the making of a marine
related programme. Checking performance issues on a new yacht following delivery from builders.
Inspections
for overseas clients
Sealutions
Ltd has worked with a number of clients who do not wish to make a costly trip
abroad to visit a vessel only to find out that when viewed it does not meet
their requirements. We offer a service to visit the vessel, carry out an
inspection, and take pictures. A short report with a large selection of pictures
is then emailed to the client. The report will give an overall impression of
the vessel to show as much detail as possible. The report will enable the
client to make a decision, independent of the vendor and broker. The cost of
this service can be offset against any pre-purchase survey carried out on the vessel.
yacht delivery
and assistance
We
employ qualified commercial Yachtmasters and can deliver your yacht or assist
you in delivery of your yacht. We can also offer own boat tuition and help you
in getting to grips with your new purchase. If you need any assistance in
delivering or training on your yacht why not contact us to discuss your
requirements.